Ngayundi Aboriginal Health Council
Role
To provide a forum for members of the Bundjalung and Yageal Nations in the North Coast Area Health Service (NCAHS) to participate in and provide advice on health service planning, development, delivery, evaluation and prioritisation with a view to attaining equality of health status and life expectancy for Aboriginal communities.
Click here to view Ngayundi Charter
Objectives
1. Provide an informed community perspective on the health issues and needs of Aboriginal
communities to the NCAHS Area Health Advisory Council, the Chief Executive, and others.
2. Support and inform efforts to close the 17-year life expectancy gap between Aboriginal and
non-Aboriginal people within a generation.
3. Support and advise NSW Health and NCAHS to:
- Make prevention everybody's business
- Create better experiences for people using health services
- Strengthen primary health and continuing care in the community
- Build regional and other partnerships for health
- Make smart choices about the costs and benefits of health services
- Build a sustainable Aboriginal workforce
- Be prepared for challenges and ready to seize opportunities
4. Provide nominees when requested for planning groups, working parties and special project committees,
and other activities
5. Provide comment on Department of Health and NCAHS policy documents, statements and other material
provided adequate time is available for commentary
6. Seek comment from the wider community on specific matters and identify opportunities to improve the
community's capacity to participate, especially members of isolated communities
7. Receive information and documents for general information and assist the NCAHS to ensure flow-on of
information to the broader community
8. Advocate and lobby to positively influence health decision-making.
Membership
There is no fixed membership or number of members. Meetings are open to all Aboriginal people with special attention directed to those who live in the area where the meeting is being held. Also in attendance at meetings:
- Chief Executive (one meeting per year)
- Director Population Health Planning & Performance (one meeting a year)
- Area Health Advisory Council representative
- Community Participation Unit representative
- Director of Aboriginal Health or representative
- Relevant Aboriginal Network Manager
- Relevant Network Manager or representative
- Aboriginal workers, especially those from the area where the meeting is being held
- Others by invitation
Executive
An executive of 8 geographically dispersed people is appointed by Ngayundi members once every two years. The Executive appoints a Chairperson and Deputy. Current executive members are: Muriel Burns (Chair) Cedric Walker (Deputy Chair), Lillian King, Grace Cowan, Bertha Kapeen, Fred Binge, Robyn Davis, Terrence Robinson.
Meetings 2009
General meetings: 4 March (Lismore); 6 May (Grafton); 1 July (Coraki); 2 September (Bonalbo);
4 November (Cabbage Tree).
Executive meetings: 3 February; 7 April; 2 June; 4 August; 6 October
Download a 2009 meeting poster here
Issues of interest - July to December 2008:
- Speeding up implementation of cultural awareness education package for all staff;
- The desirability of male Aboriginal Health Liaison Officers within local hospitals;
- The need for all Aboriginal in-patients to be visited by the Aboriginal Health Liaison Officer;
- Coordination of discharge transport for patients leaving hospitals;
- Desirability of filling vacant Aboriginal identified staffing positions;
- Improvement in delivery of mental health services for Aboriginal community members;
- Increased participation in Ngayundi extremely pleasing;
- Need for continued recognition of and support for Ngayundi Executive by NCAHS;
- Encouraging Aboriginal health staff to meet with community people at least once a year;
- Need for health services to either travel to remote communities or provide transport.
Go to contact details or email: participate@ncahs.health.nsw.gov.au